© VCAA

2017 VCE Languages oral examination reports – Second languages

The following information applies to the oral examination for all Victorian and CCAFL second language studies.

Teachers and students are advised to read this entire report, not just the language-specific section, as it contains general information about the second language oral examination.

The Chief Assessor for each study has provided comments on the quality of student performance for each language and this information can be accessed directly by clicking on the links below.

Arabic Armenian Bosnian Chin Hakha Chinese Second Language Chinese Second Language Advanced Croatian Dutch Filipino French German Greek Hebrew Hindi Indonesian Second Language Italian Japanese Second Language Karen Khmer Korean Second Language Macedonian Maltese Persian Polish Portuguese Punjabi Romanian Russian Serbian Sinhala Spanish Swedish Tamil Vietnamese Second Language Yiddish

2017 VCE Languages oral examination reports – Second languages

© VCAA

General comments

The Languages oral examination assesses students’ knowledge and skills in using spoken language.

The assessment session begins when an assessor invites the student to enter the examination room. The assessors will greet the student and indicate where the student should sit. Once seated, the student will be asked to state their student number in English and to give the assessors the assessor copy of the Student Examination Advice Slip. Students are reminded to speak at all times in the language being assessed, except when stating their student number in English. Stating their student number is the only time students should use English in the oral examination.

Section 1 involves a seven-minute Conversation. The assessors will signal the beginning of the first section of the examination, the Conversation. It will consist of a general conversation about the student’s personal world, for example, school and home lives, family and friends, interests and aspirations. An assessor will indicate when it is time to conclude the Conversation and begin the Discussion.

Section 2 consists of an eight-minute Discussion. In no more than one minute, the student will briefly introduce the main focus of their subtopic, alerting the assessors to any objects brought to support the Discussion. The focus of the Discussion will be to explore aspects of the language and culture of communities in which the language is spoken. The student will be expected to make reference to texts studied. After approximately seven minutes, the assessors will indicate that the examination is drawing to a close. The student should take leave of the assessors in a culturally appropriate way.

The student’s choice of subtopic for the Detailed Study is very important. It should be an engaging topic that motivates students to become familiar with the content and vocabulary needed, and thus be more skilled to support and elaborate on information, ideas and opinions.

The introduction should give assessors an indication of the area of discussion. The purpose is for students to briefly introduce their chosen subtopic; it is not an opportunity for students to list all their information or texts. Texts can be mentioned during the Discussion.

The study design states that, ‘In order for the student to be able to explore their sub-topic in sufficient depth to meet the relevant outcomes, it is suggested that a range of at least three different kinds of text are selected. These might include aural and visual, as well as written texts’. It is important that students and teachers select materials for the Detailed Study carefully so that students are exposed to a variety of views. The type of texts used by students should vary in complexity and be language texts so that students can become aware of key vocabulary related to their subtopic. Students are reminded that they must be prepared to use language spontaneously in unrehearsed situations. Students should not memorise information or statements that they expect to be able to use verbatim during the oral examination. Texts should be used to support, expand on and explore the subtopic.

Students are not expected to be ‘experts’ and be able to answer all questions asked, they are expected to have learnt strategies in order to respond to unexpected questions. It would be valuable for students to learn phrases such as, ‘I have not studied this aspect of the topic, but I think…’, ‘I don’t know, but I feel …’ and ‘I am not sure about this question or topic but I know….’. Some students expected to be questioned on what they had read and/or heard rather than engage in a discussion using their texts to support their ideas and opinions. The focus of the Discussion is to discuss and explore the subtopic and aspects covered in the texts studied. Students needed to come to the examination prepared to discuss and explore ideas and opinions by using and referring to the texts studied and making links between the texts to support their ideas. This means that students must be able to draw on the texts they have studied, discuss and explore ideas and

2017 VCE Languages oral examination reports – Second languages

© VCAA

opinions related to their subtopic and relate this to the language-speaking community. Students can support the Discussion with objects such as photographs, diagrams and maps, elaborating on them and stating why they considered them to be important. The support material must have minimal writing, which includes only a heading, name or title.

It should be noted that during the oral examination:

students may be asked a variety of questions of varying levels of difficulty. Questions may also be asked in a different order from the one students expect

assessors may interrupt students to ask questions during either section of the examination assessors may also repeat or rephrase questions normal variation in assessor body language is acceptable.

The assessment for both the Conversation and the Discussion is divided into three sections: communication, content and language. The assessment criteria and descriptors are published on the VCAA website. It is important that all teachers and students are familiar with the criteria and descriptors and that students use them as part of their examination preparation. This will help students to engage in a lively and interesting exchange with assessors. Although there are similarities between the assessment criteria for the Conversation and Discussion sections of the examination, the criteria assess two very different aspects of performance. The performance of students in the oral examination indicated that those who were well prepared were able to demonstrate their abilities and proficiency in the language. In contrast, students who were insufficiently prepared had difficulty communicating, particularly in the Discussion.

Teachers and students should refer to the VCE Language Study Design for further information regarding the oral examination.

Students are reminded that:

dictionaries and electronic communication devices are not allowed in the oral examination they should wear neat casual clothes, not school uniform.

Students are required to bring to the oral examination:

personal identification, consisting of a clear photograph with the student’s full name; for example, school ID card, public transport ID card, passport, driver’s licence

a copy of the Student Examination Advice Slip any objects such as photographs, diagrams and maps to support the Discussion.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Arabic oral examination report

General comments Students who had thoroughly prepared for the examination were more successful in satisfying all of the assessment criteria than those who had not. Students who had prepared well were generally confident and at ease during the examination. Students who were less well prepared seemed to lack confidence and experienced difficulty addressing all of the assessment criteria.

When preparing for the oral examination, it is imperative that students be familiar with all of the examination specifications. Students must be prepared to converse with assessors and offer a wide range of opinions with supporting evidence.

To maximise student performance, it is strongly recommended that topics presented for the Detailed Study have sufficient depth and substance so that themes can be explored extensively. It is also important that resources be updated when possible. Texts and reference materials should be selected with care in order to ensure that students have sufficient content, vocabulary and ideas to draw upon. Resources should not be in English as this will not allow students the opportunity of appropriate vocabulary to draw upon.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation Students who achieved high scores were able to use an excellent range of vocabulary, structures and expressions accurately and appropriately. They also displayed competence in the use of more complex tense structures, displayed the ability to self-correct errors and consistently used appropriate style and register. Students who achieved excellent scores were able to provide a range of information and ideas, which they were able to discuss in depth and support with appropriate examples and evidence. These students were also able to give varying opinions on topics discussed.

In contrast, students who experienced difficulty had a very limited ability to advance the Conversation. The conversation was often shallow, consisted of few ideas, opinions or examples. Some of these students had significant problems with pronunciation, stress and intonation, and did not seem to have prepared adequately as their conversation lacked depth and substance. Given that the topic for the Conversation focuses on the student’s personal world, students should ensure that they prepare appropriately. Some students lacked basic vocabulary skills and at times had to rely on English versions of words to sustain the Conversation. Others relied on rote-learned responses and were unable to respond and continue when interrupted. Students are advised to not memorise their responses as the examination calls for a more spontaneous and free-flowing conversation.

2017 VCE Arabic oral examination report

© VCAA

Section 2 – Discussion Students who scored highly demonstrated a readiness to link with assessors when giving their responses. They provided an excellent range of information, ideas and opinions clearly and logically, and they were able to elaborate on and carry the Discussion forward by introducing ideas, opinions and examples related to their Detailed Study topic. These students were able to qualify and support their answers by making references to the texts studied. The discussion seemed to flow naturally and students used authentic pronunciation, stress and tempo. Students were able to develop their discussion by using varied and more complex language structures appropriately and accurately. They had an in-depth understanding of the reference materials studied and were able to draw upon their resources in support of their argument. These students had researched a variety of resources – including articles, interviews, films and extracts from novels – and were well prepared for the oral examination.

Students who experienced difficulty in the Discussion section presented a limited range of information on which they were generally unable to elaborate. Many of these students were unable to effectively draw upon their texts to advance the Discussion. They also displayed poor ability to interact with the assessors and relied on extensive support from the assessors. Their performance was often hindered by weak language skills, which included poor pronunciation, stress and tempo. Their limited range of language structures and vocabulary prevented students from advancing the Discussion successfully. These students generally displayed a lack of basic accuracy in language use; for example, sentences structures were very poor.

Topics that worked well included ones that:

focused on a student’s own interests required analysis and offered the opportunity to take a stance.

Topics that worked less well included ones that:

were purely descriptive were superficial and did not provide students with opportunities to highlight their opinions allowed students only to ‘present a topic’ rather than engage in a discussion.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Armenian oral examination report

General comments All students who presented for the 2017 Armenian oral examination were well prepared, and their expression and vocabulary were of a very good standard. Students conversed using appropriate constructs and the correct register (plural form of personal pronouns for teachers, parents and elders, for example, դուք, ձեր, ձեզ) throughout the examination.

Sentence construction was sufficiently complex and sophisticated where appropriate. Pronunciation was accurate, with clear and audible utterances, crisp consonants and correct intonation and stress.

Discussion topics were well researched and well prepared. The vocabulary range used was rich, and responses to questions were both logical and spontaneous. While there were a few grammatical errors such as case (մօրս instead of մայրիկիս, հօրս instead of հայրիկիս), they did not detract from the overall delivery and meaning intended.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation A wide range of topics were covered in the Conversation, including students’ current studies, personal background, family structure, hobbies, career aspirations, travel plans or experiences, current employment and future plans. Students should use the correct terms to describe full-time work (լիաժամ աշխատանք) and part-time work (իսաժամ աշխատանք) when referring to current or future employment.

All students engaged with the assessors confidently. There were very few false starts and self-correction was evident when necessary.

Sentence structure, pronunciation, register and expression were very good, and the depth, breadth and complexity of the Conversation, especially in response to open questions, was satisfactory.

Section 2 – Discussion Topics for the Detailed Study were varied, including the Armenian Genocide and its significance to the Armenian nation and the Diaspora, the invention of the Armenian alphabet, the Pan-Armenian Games, the Hayastan All Armenian Fund, The Ministry of Diaspora’s ‘Ari Doon’ program, the formation and structure of the Armenian community in Melbourne, and the links between Armenia and the Diaspora. Students were very well prepared and had mastered their chosen subtopics. Students utilised a rich array of sources for research, and this thorough preparation enabled students to respond to open-ended questions. This also allowed for a free-flowing discussion where students demonstrated the capacity to engage the assessors by giving appropriate responses and the ability to influence the direction of the Discussion.

2017 VCE Armenian oral examination report

© VCAA

Students engaged the assessors with good expression and sentence construction. Answers to open questions demonstrated students’ affinity with the topic area and mastery of most of the detail of the subject matter. Probing questions were handled spontaneously, logically and linguistically correctly.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Bosnian oral examination report

General comments

Students were able to quickly establish rapport with the assessors, communicate relevant information and respond effectively to the requirements of the examination.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

Some students would have benefited from paying further attention to how to use the correct formal register (‘Vi’) when addressing assessors.

Communication

Most students demonstrated excellent communication skills during their interaction with assessors. Some students showed a lack of correct pronunciation and used wrong intonation or stress, but this did not interfere with the Conversation.

Content

Students shared their personal interests, aspirations and plans in a creative manner and delivered interesting stories.

Language

Some students had excellent pronunciation (intonation, stress, tempo) but would have benefited from also spending time on enriching the range and appropriateness of vocabulary. Other students used anglicisms, such as ‘da budem coach’ instead of ‘da postanem trener’. Some students would have benefited from paying more attention to the use of the appropriate for nouns used with certain prepositions, such as ‘iz Interneta’ instead of ‘na Internetu’ or ‘u posao’ instead of ‘u poslu’.

Section 2 – Discussion

Students chose a wide range of topics and presented very interesting and detailed information, ideas and opinions with deep insight. Some topics were challenging, but students who opted for those topics were able to show an in-depth understanding.

Communication

Students listed among their sources videos, books, various texts from the Internet, magazines, everyday press and reflections from family members.

Most students demonstrated an excellent level of communication by responding confidently and advancing the communication smoothly. Some students were slow to respond and needed frequent support.

2017 VCE Bosnian oral examination report

© VCAA

Content

Some students demonstrated excellent preparation of their topic and were able to present their views clearly and logically. Other students would have benefited from putting more effort into the preparation of their topic, as their responses lacked substance and they were unable to elaborate on and support their opinions.

A small number of students learnt information about their topics by heart. These students were unable to expand on their ideas when asked a question and their responses were not coherent.

Some students supported the Discussion with posters containing images or maps relevant to their topic.

Language

Some students used sentences with a complex structure and delivered their ideas with clarity of expression. Their pronunciation was clear, with the correct intonation and stress and good tempo.

Some students used a less complex sentence structure. They lacked clarity of expression and the appropriate style and register.

A small number of students used a very limited range of vocabulary, relied on anglicisms and were unable to advance the Discussion.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Chin Hakha oral examination report

General comments

Students performed well in the Chin Hakha oral examination in 2017. It was evident that most students had prepared thoroughly and were familiar with both the language and the specific requirements of the two sections.

Students who scored highly listened to questions and responded appropriately and with spontaneity. They used sophisticated vocabulary, grammar and expressions such as biahalnak, tingtang, siangnaurun, sianghlairun, siangsangrun, sianghleirun, ringawn and suimilam, instead of using English or Burmese words and phrases.

In contrast, some students who scored in the mid-range or lower range gave prepared answers and struggled to cope with unexpected questions; this limited the flow and progress of the Conversation or the Discussion. Their performance was affected adversely because they had not mastered the common vocabulary and grammatical structures needed.

Errors occurred in applying agreement between article and noun ka and kan (for example, a rak ra

khomi cu pahra ka si instead of a rak ra khomi cu pahra kan si, tuah kan huammi pawl cu instead of tuah ka huammi pawl cu), a and an (for example, a ka ti instead of an ka ti, an kan ti instead of a

kan ti, kan huammi instead of ka huammi), a si and an si (for example, ka huammi cu … cu pawl

cu a si, ka huammi cu … cu pawl cu an si), a si and si (for example, si ko instead of a si ko, si instead of a si) and in applying agreement in a phrase between the article.

Students who do not understand a question should ask for clarification rather than pause for long periods. Students should not resort to rote-learned material when in difficulty and should attempt to interact with the assessors at all times.

Pronunciation, intonation and stress were handled well by most students.

Specific information

Section 1 – Conversation

The majority of students had prepared well and had practised effectively for questions about their personal world. They discussed more than one topic and developed more than one aspect with some breadth and depth. They elaborated on their statements by giving reasons, examples and evidence, presenting an excellent range of information, opinions and ideas.

Students who did not score well presented a limited range of information and had difficulty clarifying or elaborating on opinions and ideas. Students should prepare adequately for the Conversation and ensure that they are ready to ‘express opinions, clarify, elaborate on and defend opinions and ideas’. Some students were less well prepared for the Conversation section of the examination.

© VCAA

All students need to be aware that they need to carry the Conversation forward with spontaneity and not provide one-sentence answers, expecting assessors to keep asking questions. Students should familiarise themselves with the criteria for the examination.

Section 2 – Discussion

The majority of students spoke confidently in the Discussion, expressing and elaborating on ideas and opinions and supporting them with appropriate evidence from the specific texts studied. Many engaged in original thinking, making valid comparisons between texts, proposing alternative viewpoints. They used a wide variety of accurate language and vocabulary that enhanced their performance and had excellent pronunciation, intonation, stress and tempo. They were able to anticipate questions and at times they were able to advance the Discussion with interesting comments.

Only a few students displayed a limited ability to advance the Discussion due to lack of preparation. These students found it difficult to engage with assessors and provide the required reasons, opinions and examples in support of their topic. They lacked basic repair strategies and were able to present only a satisfactory range of information.

The choice of sub-topics and resources is very important and should cater to the students’ language ability as well as interests. Topics need to provide students with the opportunity for elaboration on information, ideas and opinions with reasons, examples and evidence.

A few students brought visual material to support their chosen sub-topic.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Chinese Second Language oral examination report

Section 1 – Conversation

Many students were well prepared for the Conversation. Students who scored highly provided extensive responses to the questions asked, confidently moving the exchange forward while simultaneously using accurate language, a sophisticated range of vocabulary and complex structures. They had excellent pronunciation and intonation and maintained a consistent pace without unnatural pauses. However, there were some students who relied too heavily on prepared responses. A lack of flexibility and the use of memorised responses can be detrimental to the natural flow of the interaction, especially when the answer requires extra information.

Many students were able to use a variety of grammatical patterns, expressions and vocabulary, although there were some errors. These errors could have been avoided through more careful practice prior to the examination. The following are some examples (the correct version is given in brackets):

Grammatical errors

我比以前非常忙多了(我比以前忙多了/I’m much busier than before.)

姐姐常常买我东西 (姐姐常常给我买东西/My older sister often buys something for me.)

爸爸拿钱很多 (爸爸挣了很多钱/Dad has earned a lot of money.)

没有时间打过工 (我没有时间打工/I don’t have time to work.)

我们应该放精力在学习上 (我们应该把精力放在学习上/We should concentrate on our study.)

我和小明认识很多时间 (我和小明已经认识很长时间了/Xiaoming and I have known each other for a long time.)

老师让我们说多一点中文 (老师让我们多说一点中文/The teacher asks us to speak more Chinese.)

我要是不可以考上大学，爸爸妈妈就会很失望 (我要是考不上大学，爸爸妈妈就会很失望/If I don’t get into university, my parents will be very disappointed.)

Inaccurate words and expressions used

狗有白色的头发 (狗身上的毛是白色的/The dog’s hair is white.)

我喜欢和妈妈一起做东西 (我喜欢和妈妈一起做事情/I like to doing things with my mum.)

妈妈每天煮我一个早餐 (妈妈每天都给我做早餐/Mum makes breakfast for me every day.)

中国学生没有时候做运动 (中国学生没有时间运动/Students in China have no time for exercise.)

妈妈每天车我学校 (妈妈每天开车带我去学校/Mum drives me to school every day.)

我朋友兰兰个子不长也不短 (我朋友兰兰不高也不矮/My friend Lanlan is neither tall nor short.)

© VCAA

我每天早上八点参加学校 (我每天早上八点上学/I go to school at 8.00 every morning.)

我在学校参加了唱歌队 (我在学校参加了合唱团/I have participated in the school choir.)

Mispronounced words

流行 (popular) as 旅行 (travel)，澳洲 (Australia) as 欧洲 (Europe)，交流 (communication) as 交通

(transportation)，年级 (year level) as 年纪 (age)， 洗碗 (to wash the dishes) as 洗完 (have finished washing)，春节 (Spring Festival) as 春联 (Spring Festival couplets), etc.

Section 2 – Discussion

In the Discussion of the Detailed Study, students who scored highly understood their chosen subtopic and demonstrated that they had studied various resources. They explored their subtopics in sufficient depth, and their opinions and ideas were supported by interesting examples and evidence from the resources studied.

Students must recognise that this section is a discussion and not a mini presentation. There should be plenty of interaction between the students and the assessors during the Discussion. Students also need to be aware that any supporting material students brought to the examination should not have Chinese characters or Pinyin on it (apart from a label or a heading).

The choice of subtopic is crucial. As this section is a discussion, the chosen topic needs to have suitable and interesting content and issues for the student and assessors to discuss. The topic also needs to suit the student’s language capacity and allow the student to express their opinions. Some students had covered too many aspects in their Detailed Study and as a result each aspect was lacking in depth and focus. This did not lead to a good discussion.

The range of topics chosen by students was broad and interesting.

While unusual Detailed Study topics often capture students’ interest, it is important that these topics are suitable.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Chinese Second Language Advanced oral examination report

General comments In consideration of all the assessment criteria, the performance on the communication criterion in both the Conversation and Discussion was the most outstanding. Many students displayed confidence and a natural flow of speech.

Students who performed well responded naturally and did not resort to rote-learned passages. They demonstrated a range of language and grammar and were able to support their stance with evidence and logically extended arguments.

It is important that students listen to the assessor’s question and wait until the assessor has finished talking. They should not attempt to predict the content of the question after hearing only a few words. Students are advised not to rely on rote-learned material or passages. Assessors may interrupt and ask questions relevant to the topics.

It is also important that students do not speak too fast, even if they are very confident and have a lot of content to cover. Speaking clearly at normal speech speed is a considerably better way to demonstrate preparation and confidence.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation Most students were well prepared in terms of organising information, alternative phrasing and justifying statements in unrehearsed situations without resorting to rote-learned information.

Students’ capacity to support or elaborate on ideas and opinions with reasons, examples and evidence is crucial.

A few students had not prepared their Conversation content as well as their Discussion content, and simply chatted informally with the assessors while contradicting themselves. For example, ‘We usually stay at home, but often we go out’ (我们常在家，老出去).

The most notable errors were the use of inappropriate expressions, unclear expressions and misunderstood phrases. Examples included:

Incorrect Correct

完不成 完成不了

(cannot complete/finish)

竹竿见影 立竿见影

(immediate effect)

2017 VCE Chinese Second Language Advanced oral examination report

© VCAA

Some misused adverbs and verbs included 非常地很有责任心 (have extremely high, very much sense of responsibility), which was used instead of the correct 很有责任心 (very good sense of responsibility).

Students need to note that this general conversation task requires preparation. Often students neglected to use certain alternative phrases and linking grammar patterns to shape their speech.

Section 2 – Discussion Although the one-minute introduction is not assessed, students should outline their subtopic and briefly and clearly introduce the main focus of their subtopic.

When choosing topics and aspects, students should consider the depth and breadth of information they can cover within the allocated seven minutes.

Some students were unprepared and offered illogical reasons for avoiding an answer.

The choice of topic and subtopic to suit students’ interests and skill level is crucial. Some students chose difficult or rare subtopics to demonstrate their unique content. The Detailed Study should be based on a subtopic related to one or more of the prescribed topics listed on page 13 of the VCE Chinese Second Language and Second Language Advanced Study Design.

Dictionaries and electronic communication devices are not permitted in the oral examination. Notes and cue cards are also not permitted.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Croatian oral examination report

General comments

Students were generally well prepared for the 2017 Croatian oral examination and were able to communicate in the language in a confident and proficient way.

While further preparation would have helped some students to achieve a better result, all students were able to engage with assessors appropriately.

As the setting of the examination is formal, students need to be reminded to use the correct formal register ‘Vi’ when addressing assessors and not the casual ‘ti’.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

Most students responded readily and skilfully to a variety of questions that focused on students’ personal worlds.

Students need to be prepared to respond to a range of questions from assessors, some of which may be unexpected. They need to prepare for this section of the examination with a breadth and depth of information.

Communication

Students who scored highly linked well with assessors and conversed in a spontaneous manner, producing a fluent and interesting conversation.

However, some students provided minimal responses to questions asked. It is important that students expand on their responses to demonstrate their grasp of the language.

On the whole, students were able to recognise and self-correct mistakes.

Content

Students generally presented an interesting range of information and opinions. Those who scored highly used extensive vocabulary that enabled them to deliver engaging and relevant responses.

However, some students with limited vocabulary struggled to express their views in a meaningful way or misunderstood what the assessors asked, which led to an inaccurate response. Students can ask assessors to repeat a question if they are struggling to understand.

Language

In general students used a good range of vocabulary, structures and expressions in an appropriate way. Greater effort when learning vocabulary specific to a range of personal situations would be beneficial, as this would enable students to answer questions accurately and appropriately.

2017 VCE Croatian oral examination report

© VCAA

Some notable errors included incorrect words (‘rođak’ instead of ‘obitelj’), inappropriate use of prepositions, especially to express time (‘išao sam za tri mjeseca’ instead of ‘na tri mjeseca’), and incorrect endings for the locative case (‘išao sam u Hrvatskoj’;’učim u školu’; ‘osobe u mojoj

obitelju’).

Section 2 – Discussion

The majority of students were well prepared for the Discussion section of the examination.

Those who scored highly presented topics that were carefully researched, rich in detail and well structured.

The majority of students supported the discussion with posters containing images and maps, and this assisted students to better structure their information and served as a prompt for their discussion points.

Communication

Students who were thoroughly prepared used effective communication strategies, interacted easily with assessors and moved the Discussion forward with their own ideas and opinions.

Some students prepared well, but could not sustain the Discussion as they lacked the appropriate vocabulary, phrases and expressions to answer assessors’ questions. In such instances students either used meaningless fillers such as ‘i takve stvari’, used incorrect words (‘od predani’ instead of ‘od predaka’) or simply reverted to English.

To be able to talk about their chosen topic in depth and with clarity, students need to develop vocabulary particular to their chosen topic. This would also help students to address specific questions that assessors may ask and that might require a more detailed answer.

Content

Most students presented topics that engaged their interest or were part of their personal experience. This often included presentations on places of cultural or historical significance in Croatia.

Some students did not sufficiently comprehend texts studied and were therefore not able to comment more broadly on their studied topic. Students are encouraged to research a number of Croatian language texts and these may include spoken, written or viewed texts. This would lead to a more in-depth understanding of the issue they want to discuss.

Language

The majority of students used a broad range of vocabulary and well-structured sentences, and expressed themselves with sound grammatical accuracy.

The most frequent mistakes included lack of agreement between two words (gender, case, number), incorrect conjunctions to express cause in subordinated sentences (‘što’ and ‘zašto’ instead of ‘zato što’), and incorrect order of words to express negative meaning (‘on ne baš voli’).

© VCAA

2017 VCE Dutch oral examination report

General comments

Overall, students demonstrated a very good understanding of the requirements of the oral examination. They were aware of the need to use more complicated and sophisticated grammatical structures in their responses. The Detailed Study was well prepared in most cases, and many students were able to expand on their answers to more in-depth questions. Repair strategies were used effectively when necessary. Students need to be aware that repair strategies can be necessary for the use of coherent and fluent Dutch.

Specific Information Section 1 – Conversation

Most students engaged well with assessors in the Conversation.

Preparation for the oral examination needs to include consistent practice on a range of subjects regularly throughout the year. This will almost certainly lead to greater fluency and confidence in speaking Dutch.

The following list shows grammatical and syntactical areas where students needed to apply greater focus.

the ability to complete sentences inflection of adjectives, for example, een nieuw boek, het nieuwe boek spelling and auxiliaries of tenses, for example, ik heb in de stad gefietst, ik ben naar de stad

gefietst

use of tenses the difference between na and naar, en and een

genders of nouns (het, de) use of vocabulary agreement between subject and verb, for example, de familie wonen (woont) in Sydney, de

mensen heeft (hebben) geen vrienden word order, for example, na het ontbijt ga ik fietsen use of English words.

Section 2 – Discussion

Students who scored highly used a wide range of vocabulary and expanded in depth on their chosen topic. They had researched their topic thoroughly and read widely. Other students had not completed sufficient research into their topic and could not expand on or discuss fully the answers to the questions they were asked. This year most students had read in depth about the life and work of Annie M.G. Schmidt and were able to engage in a meaningful exchange with the assessors on numerous aspects of her work. Other students had not read their texts sufficiently to be able to answer questions in enough depth. Students need to realise that they should not wait for the assessors’ next question and instead should give fluent and detailed answers.

2017 VCE Dutch oral examination report

© VCAA

Students need to read widely to gain practice in their reading and oral skills in general throughout the year. This is a very important part of the study.

The linguistic errors made in the Conversation also applied to the Discussion.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Filipino oral examination report

General comments In the 2017 Filipino oral examination the majority of students understood assessors’ questions and demonstrated the capacity to communicate fluently and effectively in Filipino.

The students conversed spontaneously with assessors. They answered the questions readily and expounded their answers by citing examples. A number of students answered only what was asked and waited to be prompted before elaborating on their answers.

On the whole, students understood and communicated their ideas, opinions and research facts effectively, using sophisticated vocabulary in complex sentence structures and the correct register.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

In the Conversation, students talked at an appropriate pace about topics familiar to them, and applied their own repair strategies where necessary. When asked questions, some students paused and used utterances such as ‘so’, ‘and’, ‘like’ and ‘but’ as fillers while thinking of an answer to the question asked.

Mispronounced words, inappropriate stress in words and the incorrect choice of words caused error in meaning. Examples were ‘banka’ (boat) became ‘bangkay’ (corpse), ‘guro’ (teacher) instead of ‘asignatura’ (subject), ‘mundo’ (world) instead of ‘bansa’ (country). Students needed to pay more attention to accurate pronunciation when expressing Filipino words.

Students conversed easily and effectively with assessors on familiar topics such as family, studies, friends, travel, memorable experiences, future plans and interests. The majority of students demonstrated a very good command of the language in this section.

Section 2 – Discussion

Most students introduced their researched topics succinctly. Visual materials were used as an aid to support the presentation of topics. However, some students had difficulty elaborating on their topic due to a lack of information, showing that they had not completed sufficient research on their chosen topic. These students focused more on their experiences and observations in expounding their topic.

Concerns that needed to be addressed included:

lack of preparation of the Detailed Study structure of the language pronunciation and word stress expressing four-digit numbers in Filipino.

Teachers and students should refer to the study design and the VCE Exams Navigator for information on the oral examination. In-depth study of the topic to be discussed through the study

2017 VCE Filipino oral examination report

© VCAA

of a range of audio, written and visual Filipino language texts is encouraged. Exposure to conversation and discussion activities should support effective preparation for the oral examination.

© VCAA

2017 VCE French oral examination report

General comments

Overall, students were well prepared for the 2017 French oral examination. Generally, they understood the examination format, although some students were surprised by the second section and did not know what to do.

Some topics chosen for the Discussion were not appropriate. The study design states that the focus of the Discussion will be to explore aspects of the language and culture of French-speaking communities, and that the student will be expected to make reference to texts studied for the Detailed Study.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

Most students gave answers with confidence and some individuality. Students should prepare to be asked unexpected questions or questions phrased in a manner different from those they may have heard and practised before.

Criterion 3, accuracy of language, is still the area that requires the most improvement. Students would do well to thoroughly learn verbs in various tenses, to try to avoid cognates and learn actual French vocabulary, especially synonyms for words that they like to use frequently, for example, opportunité and sentir. Pronunciation in general needs some sharpening – aîné et année, recherche et richesse, âge et âgé were some interesting pairs.

When students learn idiomatic expressions, they should also learn about their register and context. Students should remember that this examination is a linguistically formal occasion.

Students should expect to be interrupted by assessors, who may wish to ask a question or to make sure that students answer a variety of questions during this section of the examination.

Section 2 – Discussion

Many students presented topics that seemed of interest to them, they spoke with facility about their resources and had opinions and ideas beyond the merely factual. When choosing material, teachers and students are encouraged to use resources that allow students to develop content and language to a much deeper level. Students need scope to develop a deeper understanding of their topic and this should be through a variety of substantial resources.

Many students displayed a sound knowledge of their topic but still had some poor pronunciation of key words; femme was a particular example.

Students are encouraged to use their 15 hours of class time for the Detailed Study to choose, read, be critical of, examine and develop an opinion about a topic that allows some real insight into the language and culture of French-speaking communities.

© VCAA

2017 VCE German oral examination report

General comments Overall, students showed a very good level of preparation for the 2017 German oral examination, responding well to general questions about their personal worlds and their selected Detailed Study. Well-prepared students spoke with confidence, used repair strategies and gave a wide range of information, ideas and opinions. They spoke fluently with an authentic pronunciation.

Students’ grammar required improvement, and some students needed to use more sophisticated vocabulary and structures. Students should be comfortable speaking in a range of tenses (present, perfect and simple past, future and conditional), use modals and pronouns correctly, have a good sense of German word order and use some higher-level language.

It may be useful for students to be involved in practice examinations as a part of their examination preparation. Practising with the pronoun ‘Sie’ is also beneficial; ‘du’ is not appropriate in this context.

Some common errors included:

incorrect use of pronouns (especially when referring to key words such as der Film – er not es) mixing up possessives (sein-/ihr-/Ihr-/dein-) case endings, especially after prepositions (für/mit/zu, etc.) inappropriate gender (mein/e Vater) or omitting the feminine version when available (Meine

Schwester ist Arzt) word order, in particular the placement of the verb (with modals, in sentences with more than

one clause and with conjunctions) modal verbs – forms not known and incorrect placement of accompanying verb verb forms – often the ‘ich’ forms were incorrect (ich hat/mein Vater haben) sein and haben forms used incorrectly.

For some students pronunciation also required more attention, for example, sounds like v, w, ch and z. The German ‘Satzmelodie’ should also be specifically practised.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation Students should practise responding to typical questions. Rote-learned responses and irrelevant details need to be avoided. Focusing on an aspect of a topic that elicits opinions rather than listing facts will showcase higher-level language, for example, the challenges of part-time work during VCE or working/studying overseas, what they would change about their school and why, the frustrations/positives/negatives of being the youngest/eldest/middle child in the family. The Conversation should proceed naturally and confidently, and students should maintain good eye contact and speech volume. Students are encouraged to lead the Conversation from one topic to the next.

2017 VCE German oral examination report

© VCAA

Section 2 – Discussion Topics chosen for the Detailed Study should allow students to give opinions (theirs or other people’s) and demonstrate higher-order thinking to the best of their ability. The examination is to showcase what each individual student can say – a complicated topic can be stressful for some students and other students may need more complicated topics to enable them to shine. Students and teachers should avoid topics that yield mainly facts and offer little opportunity for depth, and choose topics that enable students to make comparisons and offer opinions and insights about the topic.

Students must also take care to speak clearly when citing their topic and naming sources – rushing through this, and stumbling over or mispronouncing unfamiliar words can make this introduction difficult for assessors to understand.

Students should consider contextualising texts and characters to which they refer, and not assume that assessors are familiar with all texts. Some students included brief introductory comments or descriptions of their sources.

Being familiar with and being able to use key vocabulary is essential. This includes explaining a term or idea where needed and making comparisons and contrasts (time: then and now, or place: Australia/Germany, etc.).

It was clear that students enjoyed the final opportunity to say something about the topic, and many had prepared a good conclusion. Students should be encouraged to prepare a strong conclusion as such final control in the Discussion can lead to a more positive experience and feeling of confidence for students.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Greek oral examination report

General comments Students were familiar with the requirements of the examination and were well prepared. They demonstrated a sound level of understanding and an ability to maintain and advance the exchange effectively and confidently.

All students controlled simple grammatical structures well; however, some students made some grammatical and syntactical errors in both sections of the examination.

Students should be familiar with the vocabulary used in daily situations and the vocabulary needed for their specific Detailed Study. Some common errors were:

• errors with common verbs: πρέπει, χρειάζομαι, αρέσω, κάνω, φτιάχνω (έχω παίζω, χρειάζω κάτι, μου αρέσω, έχω κάνω, έχω φτιάχνω)

• incorrect stress (γιάτρος, η μητεράς) and the incorrect pronunciation of some words • incorrect words used (είμαι έλληνας instead of είμαι ελληνίδα, ιστορική instead of ιστορία) • incorrect use of articles (μία τραπέζι, στο πόλη, τα κουζίνες, ένα αδελφή) • incorrect plural form of adjectives and nouns/lack of agreement between adjectives and nouns

(λίγες άντρες, πολλά γυναίκες, τέσσερες άτομα, μερικές τραγούδια) • overuse of the nominative case (είδα ο αδελφός instead of the correct case είδα τον αδελφό,

πήγα με ο παππούς μου instead of πήγα με τον παππού μου) • incorrect use of the genitive case (του πατέρας μου) • incorrect use of the active and passive voices (ονειρεύω instead of ονειρεύομαι) and generally

incorrect verb tenses and verb endings • inability to distinguish between continuing past tense and simple past tense (έπαιζα instead of

έπαιξα) • use of English words (‘and’, ‘well’) and anglicisms • translating expressions from English (δεν πάντα πηγαίνω σινεμά)

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation Most students were well prepared for the Conversation and were able to maintain and advance the exchange about their personal world. Some students gave prepared presentations, but this was not appropriate. Students must remember that this section involves a conversation, and that they need to demonstrate the capacity to link and interact with the assessors.

Students who achieved high scores were engaged in the conversation and exhibited an ability to discuss aspects of their personal world, to elaborate on responses and to give examples and reasons for their ideas and opinions. They were able to respond readily to different types of questions and gave spontaneous answers.

Students who achieved low scores presented a limited range of information and were unable to clarify or elaborate on their ideas and opinions. They had limited control of simple structures and used poor repair strategies.

2017 VCE Greek oral examination report

© VCAA

Section 2 – Discussion

Many students prepared well for the Discussion. They presented an excellent Detailed Study and referred to their studied resources based on a variety of interesting texts. They spoke confidently, had a high degree of interaction with the assessors and were able to advance the Discussion. They used a wide range of vocabulary and complex sentence structures and were skilled in elaborating on ideas and opinions, supporting them with appropriate evidence from the texts studied. They were able to talk about their topic in depth, show links between different resources and explore the topic further.

Some students who achieved low scores did not understand the concepts within the resources to enable them to carry the Discussion forward. Others referred to a variety of resources; however, these did not have enough depth to enable students to elaborate on information with ideas, opinions and evidence.

Several students mentioned a point in their introduction – for example, they said ‘συζητήσαμε για την προσφορά των μεταναστών στην Αυστραλία / μελετήσαμε την συνεισφορά των μεταναστών’ – but when the assessor later asked them ‘Τι προσφέραν οι μετανάστες στην Αυστραλία; / Ποια ήταν η συνεισφορά των μεταναστών’, they did not understand the question and were unable to answer.

Students should be prepared for the different ways an assessor may ask them to introduce the topic, for example, ‘έχεις ένα λεπτό να μας πεις ποιο είναι το θέμα σου’ or ‘έχεις ένα λεπτό να κάνεις μια εισαγωγή στο θέμα σου’, as some students did not understand the second statement.

Some topics presented were too broad for some students to master their content effectively, for example, migration. It is perhaps better for these students to focus on one aspect of the topic, for example pre-war migration or post-war migration, as this may enable them to provide interesting ideas and opinions.

A limited range of vocabulary and structures, and poor pronunciation of key vocabulary associated with the chosen topic prevented some students from communicating effectively. These students were unable to deal with a variety of questions asked and could not demonstrate good repair strategies.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Hebrew oral examination report

General comments The oral examination provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate various communication skills, both in the context of everyday conversation and in-depth discussion.

The majority of students conversed confidently using a good level of Hebrew.

The students who excelled were those who prepared well, thoroughly studied the criteria and did not rely heavily on rote-learned answers. In such cases, the oral examination was a lively and engaging exchange.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation The Conversation focuses on matters that are known in advance; however, students cannot simply rote-learn all of their answers, as the specific questions vary from student to student and follow on from the flow of each particular Conversation.

Students who scored well led an interesting personal conversation and responded to the specific questions appropriately and spontaneously, without linking their responses to irrelevant or rote-learned answers. Such students enriched the Conversation with their personal opinions, presented additional perspectives and original ideas, and maintained a logical and authentic sequence to the Conversation.

Students who did not score as well based the Conversation on rote-learned answers, which led to a broken conversation with several contradictions or insufficient information and the use of irrelevant vocabulary.

Section 2 – Discussion The topics of the Detailed Study focused on the culture and history of the Hebrew-speaking communities. The majority of the students linked their topic logically to the theme.

Students who scored highly introduced the topic studied in class and briefly explained their specific focus and the resources used. Such students did not attempt to hastily describe everything they learnt on the topics, as they understood that the purpose of the introduction is to provide a basis for developing the discussion. They were able to demonstrate their proficiency on the topic, and their ability to expand on, develop, interpret and link different aspects of the topic using a good level of Hebrew during the Discussion itself.

The introduction lasts for no more than one minute and is prepared, but should not be a speech. Students who treated it as such often overloaded the introduction with irrelevant information, and this prevented them from then demonstrating their skills during the Discussion.

Using a variety of sources that each provided a different perspective on the topic allowed students to discuss confidently and in detail the issues raised.

Even if the topic is historical, students are advised to consult a range of sources, and these may include both up-to-date materials as well as older ones.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Hindi oral examination report

Section 1 – Conversation

Students communicated very well in this section of the examination. They understood simple and analytical questions, and the responses given by most students were relevant and clearly expressed.

Section 2 – Discussion

Overall, most students performed very well in the Discussion section and were able to respond to any question they were asked.

Despite some students’ limited knowledge of the language and an inability to elaborate or provide detail, their language, grammar and communication was adequate and they used basic sentence structures appropriately.

Generally, students were well prepared for this section. They had prepared their topics very well; however, some students relied too heavily on responses that were obviously rote learned. Students are encouraged to speak in a natural and spontaneous sounding manner. Students need to note that this is a discussion, not a lecture.

2017 VCE Hindi oral examination report

© VCAA

Good topics selected by students included:

Social issues: status of women Environmental issues: pollution Personal opinions and values: thoughts about the world and views on particular issues

‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ (Clean India Campaign) History and tradition: festivals, famous people Arts and entertainment: Hindi films The world of work: the impact of technology Lifestyles: the urbanisation of Indian villages

Some students were unaware of the topics given in the study design and the procedure for the oral examination. These students had not prepared well for the examination.

Students who did not score well struggled to explain and elaborate on their ideas and opinions in sufficient detail. These students had limited vocabulary and used basic sentence structures.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Indonesian Second Language oral examination report

General comments On the whole, students performed quite well in the Conversation section of the examination. The majority of students understood the questions asked and the range of responses given showed that students were familiar with the topics covered in this section.

Students could have been better prepared for the Detailed Study with a more detailed approach to the topics presented. Many students had a superficial understanding of their topics and were unable to carry the Discussion forward or to elaborate on the issues under discussion.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation In general, students performed well and many managed this section with confidence. The Conversation section deals with aspects of the student’s personal world. Students who were thoroughly prepared were able to explore with confidence features of their school life, family and friends, interests and future aspirations. Students who scored highly provided comprehensive answers, which were expressed using a sophisticated range of vocabulary and sentence structures. Many students were challenged by unanticipated questions or questions that were phrased slightly different to what they had learned. Students should be aware of different ways of asking the same question. For example, the question ‘Apa rencana anda sesudah tamat sekolah?’ (What are your plans after school?) can be varied as ‘Apa yang akan lakukan sesudah ujian akhir?’ (What will you do after final examinations?) or even, in its simplest form, ‘Ada rencana sesudah sekolah selesai tahun ini?’ (Do you have any plans after school finishes this year?).

Students’ level of comprehension was quite good and students who scored highly were familiar with an extensive range of vocabulary. Students can be assisted by a rich bank of relevant phrases and idioms. Phrases such as ‘salah satu’, ‘baik … maupun’, ‘tidak se- [adjective]’ and ‘me-kan’ adjectives are useful in diversifying vocabulary. However, students should note that anglicised words such as ‘aktivitis’ and ‘fasilitas’ should be replaced with the Indonesian equivalents ‘kegiatan’ and ‘sarana’.

Section 2 – Discussion As stated in the VCE Indonesian Second Language Study Design, topics chosen should allow students to explore aspects of the language and culture of Indonesian-speaking communities. In preparing for their Detailed Study, students need to realise that topics that are narrow in scope can restrict their abilities to mere descriptions of events and situations. It is important that students broaden their understanding of their topics so that they are able to carry the Discussion forward. In this way, they are equipped to access the necessary vocabulary that facilitate understanding of the range of questions that may be asked as well as providing appropriate answers that reflect aspects of the topic studied in detail.

2017 VCE Indonesian Second Language oral examination report

© VCAA

Students’ responses indicated that many struggled with grammar. Common mistakes included incorrect use of the passive voice, missing verbs (for example, saying ‘terus perjalanan’ instead of the correct phrase ‘meneruskan perjalanan’) or using ‘adalah’ incorrectly (for example, ‘masalah itu adalah menantang’ instead of ‘masalah itu cukup menantang’). Many students were casual with the use of the base verb ‘kerja’. The proper intransitive form is bekerja. Grammar requires regular and focused attention if students are to minimise their mistakes. Students should familiarise themselves with the range and examples of Indonesian grammar given on pages 14–16 of the VCE Indonesian Second Language Study Design.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Italian oral examination report

General comments In general, students knew the structure and the requirements of the oral examination. Most students were able to cover the prescribed areas of study in an adequate manner. Students who excelled in this examination were able to engage with assessors in a natural, clear and confident way.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation Students who performed well in this section were able to link effectively with assessors and communicate clearly. Part of this success was also due to their ability to ask for clarification when unsure of a question, for example, Potrebbe ripetere la domanda per favore? Non ho sentito bene la domanda, può ripeterla per favore?.

Students who achieved high scores were able to elaborate on their answers and therefore convey their ideas and opinions effectively on the topics being discussed. They used the expected grammatical structures appropriately and accurately with excellent pronunciation and tempo.

Students must be aware that there are no set questions for the Conversation and therefore they need to prepare for a wide range of questions to be asked in a variety of ways. Furthermore, it is important for students to realise that in order to achieve a high score they must demonstrate the ability to use a wide range of grammar. While the Conversation could lend itself to the present tense, it is important that students also use a combination of tenses, namely the present perfect, future and conditional mood when responding to questions such as Cosa vorrebbe fare il prossimo anno? Come ha passato quest’anno?. At this level students should have mastered basic grammatical structures (verb conjugation, agreements, use of articles).

Section 2 – Discussion Students should be prepared to respond to a range of different questions about the topic.

Some students were thoroughly prepared and able to link the texts studied to their topic, providing more than just a recall of information. Their responses included ideas and opinions that were expressed clearly and effectively. These students connected well with the assessors and were in control of their topic, delivering their responses in a confident manner. They used accurate pronunciation, intonation and tempo. A broad range of topics was presented, with varied success. Students should present texts that they understand and that enable them to explore their topic thoroughly. In this section of the examination, students are expected to also use a broad range of vocabulary and grammatical structures. It is imperative that they master their grammar as it is of no value using a few more complex structures (for example, subjunctive) when misusing auxiliary verbs, definite articles and basic agreements (gli italiani hanno andato a una paese nuova, la squadra da inglese, dei situazioni, è più meglio, il sud è molto bella).

© VCAA

2017 VCE Japanese Second Language oral examination report

General comments

Students were generally well prepared for the oral examination and managed to respond well to questions asked by the assessors. They were able to elaborate on their answers by giving additional information on the topics discussed. Many students managed to use a variety of grammatical patterns and appropriate vocabulary. However, some students struggled with the accuracy of grammar and the use of appropriate expressions.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

Some students were able to give relevant responses and added interesting information to carry the Conversation forward effectively. They managed to use everyday expressions naturally and spontaneously, using a number of sophisticated vocabulary and grammatical patterns. These students showed the ability to pronounce Japanese words clearly and with correct intonation.

Other students struggled to give appropriate and relevant answers and instead gave short, monosyllabic answers, often struggling to include the necessary information. They relied on frequent support from the assessors.

Some students did not take the opportunity to show their knowledge of the language by extending their answers with examples and opinions and gave only short answers using basic grammar.

Students should anticipate being asked questions phrased in a variety of ways and should practise pronouncing Katakana words correctly. While students are encouraged to self-correct, some students repeated すみません、まちがえました。 (sorry, I made a mistake) and もういちどはじめます。(I will start from the beginning), and this stopped the natural flow of the conversation.

Students should listen carefully to the questions asked and respond appropriately. It is not appropriate to respond to the question 今年のＶＣＥの勉強はどうでしたか。(How were your VCE studies this year?) by simply listing the subjects studied.

Words and expressions not known by some students included:

いやだったこと(things that you don’t like)、こまったこと (things that you have difficulties with)、女の子(girl)、男の子(boy)、女生徒

と

(female student)、男子だ ん し

学生 (male student)、ゆうしょう (championship)、かつ (to win)、まける (to lose)、一人で (by myself)、きょうだい (sibling)、そつぎょう(to graduate)、外国 (foreign country)、おこづかい (pocket money)、おみやげ (souvenir)、週に何回 (how many times per week) and いがい (except) (as in 買い物いがいに何をしましたか。[What else did you do except shopping?]).

Students confused words that sound similar, such as 英語 (English) withえいが (movie) and 外国 (foreign country) with 大学 (university).

2017 VCE Japanese Second Language oral examination report

© VCAA

Grammar patterns not known by many students included:

～たことがあります。( I have + past tense verb) ～のほかに (other than) and ～とくらべて (compare with).

Section 2 – Discussion

Students prepared a wide variety of interesting topics. It was evident that many students had studied their chosen topic in depth and had a lot to discuss. Some students managed to clearly articulate the focus of their Discussion in the one-minute introduction. For example, mentioning good points and bad points followed by a possible solution to the problems, making comparisons and sharing their opinions, is an effective way of structuring the one-minute introduction. Some students, however, provided a confusing and disorganised introduction that made it difficult for assessors to know what aspects of the topic to focus on in the Discussion.

Students are encouraged to practise pronouncing difficult and specialised words, and to understand the meaning of the words they use. They should also ensure that the information included in their introduction can be elaborated on in the ensuing discussion.

Some students had not prepared sufficient information to sustain the seven-minute Discussion. Students are encouraged to research the topic deeply enough to present not only content about the topic, but their opinions about it as well. It is recommended that students draw on a range of Japanese language resources, and these may include written, spoken and viewed texts.

Students should support their responses with reference to the resources they have studied. Although it was evident that students were able to memorise information, they found it difficult to respond to impromptu questions. To demonstrate a thorough understanding of their chosen topic, students should also be ready to give their opinions and they should prepare responses to questions such as それをかいけつするためにはどうすればいいと思いますか。(In order to solve

this problem what do you think we should do?) 将 来しょうらい

どうかわると思いますか。(What do you think about how they will change in the future?) and このトピックを勉強して、かんがえがかわりましたか。(Have you changed your view about the topic as a result of your Detailed Study?).

A number of students repeatedly used the phrase それについて勉強しませんでしたが、…につい

て話してもいいですか。(I did not study that, but may I talk about…?). This is not a valid answer to the question asked and should not be used too many times.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Karen oral examination report

General comments

The 2017 VCE Karen oral examination was the first examination for the study.

In general, students had prepared well. The overall level of performance in the criteria of content, language and communication was very good. The students generally linked well with assessors. They were aware of the examination structure and of culturally appropriate greetings when addressing assessors on entering the examination room.

Well-prepared students were able to provide and sustain responses to questions and to speak spontaneously and naturally about their personal worlds. They shared information, expressed ideas and opinions, and provided examples and reasons. They were able to self-correct when necessary. A few students struggled to engage with the assessors and had difficulty applying accurate grammar and vocabulary. They gave short answers, waited for more questions to be asked and paused frequently. They were not prepared for unexpected questions and required prompting and clarification from assessors. Their pronunciation was unclear, they used an inappropriate register and the influence of English on their intonation, stress and tempo was evident.

Students need to take every opportunity to practise speaking Karen outside of school.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

Most students were able to maintain the Conversation, responded confidently to assessors’ questions and used culturally appropriate language. They were able to elaborate on their viewpoints when they discussed home life, school, future aspirations, leisure time, personal interests, travel and hobbies. They used a broad range of vocabulary and sentence structures and they could express their opinions using both simple and complex grammatical structures. However, a small number of students spoke too slowly or too quickly to continue the Conversation in a natural way. A few students provided minimal responses to questions unless they were prompted by the assessors.

Students demonstrated good repair strategies and were able to quickly recognise and correct their mistakes.

Section 2 – Discussion

Most students were well prepared for the topics and subtopics of the Detailed Study, which enabled them to respond appropriately and elaborate on ideas and opinions. They spoke confidently and advanced the Discussion using a wide range of vocabulary and complex sentence structures. Some students presented their topic well but struggled to discuss their subject freely, as they lacked adequate vocabulary or the proper sentence structures.

2017 VCE Karen oral examination report

© VCAA

When completing their introduction, students should mention their Detailed Study topic clearly. Students should be assisted with the selection of a topic for the Detailed Study and be encouraged to familiarise themselves with the requirements of the oral examination.

Some students linked their researched topics to their own experiences, while others used both online resources and personal experiences. Some students prepared posters containing images and maps. However, many posters contained too much text, with images that needed to be covered before approaching the assessors, as objects brought into the examination must have minimal or no writing on them. A few students were unable to use their posters due to the amount of written text on them. Students cannot rely solely on rote-learning and must prepare for the oral examination using appropriate resources in order to enable them to present opinions and ideas.

It is important that students prepare and research their topics adequately and ensure that they are ready to expand on their ideas. Some students were not well prepared for this section.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Khmer oral examination report

General comments In general, the majority of students were well prepared for the 2017 Khmer oral examination and maintained a high standard in both the Conversation and the Discussion sections. Students demonstrated an excellent ability to present relevant information and an excellent range of opinions and ideas with reasons, pictures and examples. However, it was clear that a few students were unprepared and had tried to memorise information. These students used unnatural forms of speech, their pronunciation was unclear and they used the inappropriate register. Some students needed to elaborate further on their opinions and ideas, and avoid using English terms.

In general, students prepared their topic for Discussion very well and were able to respond to questions asked. They used a wide range of vocabulary, structures, expressions and comparative terminology in an appropriate way. However, a few students described their school subjects in English and used unclear pronunciation such as (the correct pronunciation is given in brackets) ញ�ំ (ខ��ំ), េឆ�ន (េ្រច�ន), ហកេហឿង (រកេរឿង), ខំផឹង (ខំ្របឹង), and inappropriate terminology such as (the correct words or phrases are given in brackets) េធ��្របំា�មុខវ�ជ‌� (េរៀន្របំា�មុខវ�ជ‌� ), កា�រកង�ះ (កង�ះ/កា�រខ�ះ), េធ��ឲ្យកង�ះ (េធ��ឲ្យខ�ះ). Effective communication requires clarity, well-selected vocabulary, familiarity with terminology and natural flow of speech.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation In the Conversation section, students were asked questions on a wide range of topics such as family, current studies, future career, hobbies, travelling, part-time employment, household chores, social activities and sports. Most students interacted with assessors confidently, and their responses were direct and spontaneous; however, a few students answered with minimal responses and waited for the assessors’ next questions rather than expanding on responses. Students should be encouraged to expand on their responses to advance the Conversation.

Section 2 – Discussion Most students were well prepared and had studied a variety of sources. They were competent, able to give specific examples with reasons to support their opinions and ideas about their Detailed Study and could expand on their ideas without being prompted. Students who scored highly were those who had original thoughts and were able to elaborate on and support their opinions and ideas in the Discussion.

Only a few students who seemed unprepared and had memorised the subtopic for discussion became stuck and needed prompts from assessors to continue. These students presented their Detailed Study without a clear structure and ended the explanation of the topic without conclusion. A few students brought visual aids such as pictures, but the pictures were not relevant to the chosen topic. Students should make sure that their topic is not too broad.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Korean Second Language oral examination report

General comments Overall, students were well prepared for the 2017 Korean Second Language oral examination.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation Most students performed well and gave interesting responses during the Conversation. Some students demonstrated outstanding communication skills in a confident manner. These students commonly showed an effective use of body language, such as gestures, facial expressions and eye contact. Their responses were presented spontaneously and enabled the conversation to flow well. When these students were faced with an unexpected question they paused and gave responses such as, 생각해본 적은 없지만 (‘I haven’t thought about it’) or 잘 모르긴 하지만 말씀드린다면 (‘I am not sure, but I can say’).

Students generally participated well in the Conversation and gave relevant information about their personal worlds. Most students were able to support their responses with reasons and examples. However, long responses sometimes detracted from the conversation. Students are reminded that supporting ideas or information needs to be focused on the topic of the conversation. In some cases, the expression ‘것 같습니다’ (seem to be) was misused. When responding to a question on favourite foods, some students said, 저는 매운 음식을 좋아하는 것 같습니다 (‘I seem to like spicy food’). Such a personal preference should be stated as, 저는 매운 음식을 좋아합니다 (‘I like spicy food’).

Students demonstrated good language skills in terms of vocabulary, grammar and expression. Students who scored highly not only pronounced clearly but also were able to use intonation, stress and tempo effectively. However, some students made errors with the inflection of adverbs. For example, the word 유쾌스럽게 (pleasantfully) was used instead of 유쾌하게 (pleasantly), and 열심하게 (diligentfully) was used instead of 열심히 (diligently).

Section 2 – Discussion Students introduced various subtopics for their Detailed Study, such as 평화 통일 (Peaceful unification), 다문화 사회의 갈등 (Conflicts in a multicultural society), 세대 간의 갈등 (Generational conflicts) and 의사소통의 부재 (Communication breakdown). Some students started their one-minute introduction with rhetorical questions, for example, 통일된 한국을 보기 원하십니까? (Would you like to see a unified Korea?) and 세대 간의 갈등에 대해 어떻게 생각하십니까? (What do you think about generational conflicts?). This technique helped to link with the audience, provided it was followed by a sufficient pause.

2017 VCE Korean Second Language oral examination report

© VCAA

Some outstanding one-minute introductions contained authentic and well-structured information. Some students displayed excellent analytical skills as well as thorough preparation of their chosen subtopic and studied texts. However, some students were unable to respond with their own ideas and opinions during the Discussion. These students tended to repeat words or phrases that had already been presented in their introduction.

Students who scored highly displayed an ability to express themselves by using a wide range of vocabulary in correct sentences and convey information clearly. However, some students pronounced simple words incorrectly; for example, 녹아버리다 (melting) was pronounced as 놓아버리다 (releasing). Such an error caused miscommunication as the meaning of the word was changed unintentionally.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Macedonian oral examination report

Section 1 – Conversation

Students generally linked well with assessors. Students who achieved high scores were able to provide sustained responses to all questions and to speak spontaneously and naturally about their personal worlds. They not only shared information, they expressed ideas and opinions, and provided examples and reasons. They included sophisticated vocabulary and varied sentence patterns in their answers, and they self-corrected errors.

However, some students gave short answers, waited for more questions to be asked and paused frequently. These students were not prepared for unexpected questions. They needed support and encouragement from assessors.

Other common errors included:

pronunciation was often unclear or incorrect the influence of English on intonation, stress and tempo use of anglicisms or words in English subject–verb agreement word order the gender of nouns limited vocabulary; this adversely affected the flow of conversation and general fluency.

Marks are not deducted for use of repair strategies, self-correction or seeking clarification. Students should learn the relevant phrases early in the year in order to seek clarification confidently: Не ве разбрав… Не ми е јасно…Повторете ве молам… прашањето не во

рамките на моето испитување

Students should anticipate that assessors may ask some unexpected/difficult questions to allow students the opportunity to perform at a higher level and to demonstrate their language skills.

Section 2 – Discussion

Students were required to prepare a one-minute introduction to the Detailed Study and mention their resources. Up to three varied resources is recommended, including a film, an article, a website or an interview. Students need to show 15 hours of preparation for the Discussion.

Some of this year's topics included:

Majka Tereza Ilinden Brakjata Miladinovci Migration/‘Bojana’ Kocho Racin Technology Nikola Tesla

2017 VCE Macedonian oral examination report

© VCAA

Some of these topics were generally not issue-based and therefore there was very little discussion and few opinions were given. The topics that worked best focused on the student’s own interests and offered them the opportunity to take a stance and to defend it. Biographies do not work well in this section, as in the case of the topic Majka Tereza. Students needed to compare Mother Teresa to others, and discuss whether many people that do good go unrewarded. They could have considered whether there are there any criticisms of Mother Teresa. Ideas and opinions need to be developed; such ideas can arise from the factual information that students have chosen to share, but the factual information needs to lead to opinions.

Students would benefit from learning expressions such as мислам дека…според мене … се

зачудив кога…се воодушевив кога…ми значи многу… as such expressions show an emotional link to an opinion expressed or introduce an opinion. Migration is a frequently chosen topic, and students could include culture shock/nostalgia as part of their Detailed Study. Galicnik weddings as a topic on its own was not sufficient; however, unpacking the variety of wedding celebrations that exist and offering an opinion on the Galicnik wedding festival’s relevance today and whether it will continue in the future, brings in ideas and opinions. Topics that are purely informative and descriptive should not be selected. Students should be prepared to move the Discussion forward, include a clear stance and be prepared to defend it.

A high level of personal interest and involvement in a topic provides for success. It is important that students choose topics that require analysis and offer the opportunity to take a stance.

Using photographs or maps is acceptable, but students should not rely heavily on them.

Students must use expressions such as the following всушност…, очигледно …,секако

дека…,во споредба со…, н, како на пример…, од една страна…од друг страна..., освен

toa…меѓутоа, во заклучок…напротив, во секој случај... as such expressions show a linkage between ideas and offer clarification.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Maltese oral examination report

General comments Students performed well in the 2017 Maltese oral examination, and a very good level of understanding of the language was demonstrated overall. This included the use of a wide range of vocabulary, language structures and some sophisticated expressions. Students also readily provided answers to challenging questions. Students prepared well for the Discussion by gathering information from various resources, such as interviews, video clips, online resources and books written by contemporary writers. Personal opinions were expressed on the chosen topic of the Discussion and were supported with evidence from the research undertaken by students.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation Students demonstrated the capacity to maintain and advance the exchange effectively. Students spoke about family and school lives, hobbies, work and plans for the future. Ideas and opinions were presented clearly and logically. There were no gaps in the exchange and the Conversation flowed in an effective and appropriate manner. Students responded very well to a range of questions, using a very broad range of vocabulary, despite occasionally using a somewhat informal approach, for example, by using ‘naqa’ instead of ‘naqra’. Students demonstrated excellent pronunciation of the language and used the correct intonation and tempo. Students applied the correct vocabulary and grammar to expand on ideas.

Section 2 – Discussion Overall, students carried the Discussion forward with confidence and demonstrated knowledge of a very good range of information that was relevant to the chosen subtopic.

In general, students were well prepared and named the resources used for research purposes. Students demonstrated an excellent understanding of the language and carried the Discussion forward with some brief input from the assessors. Students were readily able to respond to questions posed. Interesting responses were given to questions, although, at times, students hesitated before answering. Students referenced the ideas brought for discussion, indicating knowledge obtained from resources used. Pronunciation and intonation of the Maltese language was very good. Grammatical mistakes were minimal and students used very good repair strategies.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Persian oral examination report

General comments In general, students performed well in the 2017 Persian oral examination. They were familiar with the format and structure of the examination and they were able to express themselves effectively and confidently. However, it is important that students prepare sufficient content in order to discuss their Detailed Study topic for eight minutes. Topics that worked well required analysis and offered the opportunity to highlight students’ opinions.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation All students began the Conversation using a culturally appropriate greeting.

The majority of students were able to engage well with assessors and demonstrated good communication skills and repair strategies. However, some students needed support or encouragement to maintain and advance the exchange.

Most students were able to talk about a wide range of topics, including personal background, family structure, school, hobbies and future aspiration. Students who scored highly were able to expand on their comments and introduce new, relevant ideas. These students had a very good range of relevant vocabulary and very good sentence structures in this section of the oral examination.

Some students had not prepared well and were not able to elaborate on or defend their ideas.

The most common errors involved the use of English vocabulary. Students should pay attention to plural nouns and avoid using ‘ها’ at the end of an already plural noun.

Section 2 – Discussion The Detailed Study provides an opportunity for students to explore and compare aspects of the language and culture of Persian-speaking communities.

The majority of students demonstrated great skill in using effective communicative strategies for carrying a conversation forward with spontaneity and for maintaining a discussion.

Students who scored highly showed evidence of thorough preparation and used complex sentences and correct grammar to present relevant facts in an in-depth and interesting discussion. Students who did not score well were not adequately prepared and either provided inappropriate responses or repeated basic information from their studied texts. These students presented a limited range of information, which limited the flow of the discussion during Section 2. Students are therefore advised to thoroughly practise possible questions and answers related to their Detailed Study so that they can expand on their chosen themes.

Most students responded with appropriate intonation, stress and tempo. Generally, the clarity of expression and the speed of delivery were very good.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Polish oral examination report

General comments Students generally performed very well in the 2017 Polish oral examination. The majority of students were familiar with the expectations of the examination and presented a very good range of information, opinions and ideas. Many students adopted good communication strategies, such as eye contact, use of body language and expressive presentation.

Many students brought visual materials to support the Discussion and most made effective use of them. However, in some cases students were unable to discuss the pictures, photos or maps from their posters or gave incorrect information about them. Students are reminded that visual material should contain only minimal text.

The most common error was the use of inappropriate informal language when addressing assessors, when a formal register was appropriate (some students used ty instead of pani). Some students used limited or incorrect vocabulary, for example: bede isc do Polski. The most common grammar mistakes were noun and adjective declinations and verb conjugation, a lack of agreement between the gender of nouns and adjectives, use of English words or errors with translating expressions from English (for example, zwiedzac zabytkow, stary domy, jestem 17 lat stary).

The manner of delivery in both sections of the examination was generally very good. In most cases students used vocabulary and grammatical structures that were appropriate to the setting and register. Some errors occurred, but these errors did not interfere with the student’s intended meaning.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation Students who achieved high scores were able to engage confidently in conversations about family and friends, interests, part-time jobs and aspirations, and carried the Conversation forward spontaneously with minimal support. Although the majority of students were very confident in this section, not all students were able to advance the Conversation adequately, which restricted their ability to deal with the content and interact with the assessors. They gave minimal answers and waited for the assessors’ next questions.

Students should be encouraged to practise familiar topics thoroughly, present their personal opinions and ideas, and give examples about their personal lives rather than information only.

Section 2 – Discussion The most popular topics for the Detailed study were: The places along the river Wisla and Famous Polish people. Students used a variety of sources when conducting research for the Discussion.

Many students displayed a genuine interest in their chosen topic. The majority of students performed well, showing not only a good command of the Polish language, but also that they were well prepared. Students who had researched their topics thoroughly were able to discuss them in depth, comment on various aspects, express their own opinions and refer to resources used. In a

2017 VCE Polish oral examination report

© VCAA

few cases, however, students did not show evidence of preparedness. These students used everyday language or colloquialisms instead of more formal and/or complex vocabulary necessary for their topic.

Most topics were introduced well and the majority of students engaged in a well-structured and coherent exchange. However, it is important that all students have prepared sufficient content to be able to discuss their chosen subtopic with the assessors within the allocated time. Many students were open and eager to express their own knowledge, viewpoints and opinions, while some others concentrated mostly on relating facts or information and did not give their opinions. Most students demonstrated a good range of vocabulary, structures and expressions, but some could have used a greater variety of vocabulary, which would have assisted them to produce a more sustained and more coherent argument. It would be beneficial for students to master the vocabulary/expressions related to their chosen subtopics; for example, Zwiedzalem (I visited) instead of repeatedly using bylem, widzialem (I was, I saw).

© VCAA

2017 VCE Portuguese oral examination report

General comments

Overall, students showed a good level of confidence, remaining composed and relaxed throughout the examination. Students’ performances ranged from outstanding to those who struggled during the examination.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

Students who scored highly demonstrated a good level of Portuguese and had the capacity to discuss familiar topics. These students were able to express themselves in detail and interact well with the assessors. Other students were not as competent in the language, struggling throughout the examination with basic concepts, providing short answers and waiting for assessors’ questions.

In terms of accuracy, some students spoke using generally accurate and sophisticated vocabulary and complex grammar structures. Most grammatical errors were made in verb conjugations, in subject–verb agreements and in the use of pronouns and prepositions. Most vocabulary errors were related to false friends and anglicisms.

Overall, the majority of students had a good level of pronunciation and use of intonation, stress and tempo.

Some students gave interesting responses and were able to advance the Conversation. These students had the ability to express their ideas as well as clarify them, elaborate on them and defend them. However, some students gave answers that were too brief and were not supported by details or reasons. It is vital that students be able to express opinions, give detail or explain reasons when talking about familiar topics such as school, plans for the future, hobbies, and so on.

Section 2 – Discussion

Overall, students did not perform as well in the Discussion as they did in the Conversation. Some students made a good effort in preparing their topic well. However, some students did not have sufficient information on their topic, so their Discussion lacked breadth and depth. Also to be noted is the choice of topic; it is advisable that students choose a topic that they are not only comfortable with and interested in, but that they have the linguistic capacity to explore. Some students seemed to have chosen topics that were very difficult for their level.

Some students struggled to deal with unexpected questions. It is advised that students have strategies in place in order to deal with unexpected questions.

Some students gave confident responses during the Discussion, giving their opinions and ideas. These students were able to carry the Discussion forward. A few were unable to defend their ideas and opinions, discussed the topic in a superficial way and waited for the next question.

2017 VCE Portuguese oral examination report

© VCAA

Some students were able to elaborate and expand on ideas and provide opinions that displayed some depth of information. Other students were not able to do this as they did not have the linguistic capacity or knowledge of the topic.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Punjabi oral examination report

General comments

Most students performed well in both the Conversation and Discussion sections of the 2017 Punjabi oral examination. Well-prepared students were able to engage in the Conversation, responded to questions very well and with confidence, and showed their preparation by giving in-depth answers. Students who scored highly presented with an excellent range of vocabulary and clarity during both sections of the oral examination and exhibited a broad range of knowledge. Upon entering the examination room, most of these students used appropriate greetings, and they used relevant language during their introductions about themselves and their chosen topic and subtopic. Students who were less well prepared showed a limited range of vocabulary and a higher level of hesitancy, and required support from the assessors to continue the Conversation.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

In this section, students talked about themselves, their friends and families and their future aspirations. They also discussed their interests in sports, travel and employment. Well-prepared students confidently engaged in the Conversation and provided well-thought-out responses to the questions. They demonstrated their strong opinions about plans and choices for the future. Students who did not score well presented a limited range of information and often provided brief answers. Some students seemed concerned when they were interrupted by assessors during the Conversation section, or when questions were not asked in the order in which they had prepared them. Students are advised that the oral examination is a discussion, not a presentation, so they should be prepared to be stopped or interrupted and asked questions by the assessors so that they can seek in-depth information. Well-prepared students showed excellent vocabulary and correct use of grammar and pronunciation while they expressed their opinions, and spoke fluent Punjabi. Most students used good repair strategies.

Section 2 – Discussion

In this section, students discussed their chosen topic. Most students introduced their chosen topic and subtopic, as well as any aids brought in to support their topic, in the first minute of the discussion. Some students were interrupted by assessors as they took longer than one minute to introduce their chosen topic.

Students had chosen a wide range of topics for their Detailed Study: famous Punjabi people, the importance of women in society, Operation Blue Star, historical events, marriage ceremonies. Well-prepared students showed a broad knowledge of their chosen subtopic, which showed they had researched well for their Detailed Study.

Students are advised to choose a topic of their interest for their Detailed Study based on the language and culture and to prepare thoroughly with adequate content to support their Discussion. Apart from giving their student number in English, students must only speak Punjabi during the oral examination, and they must practise consistently to avoid last-minute preparation.

2017 VCE Punjabi oral examination report

© VCAA

The following are excellent words and idioms used by students:

ijgrI dosq, idAwlU, rsIey,CykVlI,brUhW, dird̀rI, nvIN rUh PUkI, p`gVI sMBwl j`tw, ieq&wk, AVb suBw dw, GrW ivc̀ au~lU boldy hn, kMn pwVvW sMgIq, jmIn Asmwn ie`k kr dyxw, mwswhwrI, SwkwhwrI, ju`qI ksUrI pYrIN nw pUrI,[

(best friend, generous, bestows spiritual life, last, door, lazy, filled with new spirit, to raise awareness, unity, abrupt, barren homes and only owls can be heard there, loud music, hard work to achieve the goal/target, non-vegetarian, vegetarian, lines from a song, shoe is made in Kasoor but does not fit me)

The following are some mispronounced words:

jIvnI ivigAwn, AMDw, durGtnIAW, mMm ,fYf, cwcU, nwnU, mwmU, rwStrI gwxw

(botany, blind, accidents, mum, dad, uncle [dad’s brother called Chacha], grandfather, uncle [mum’s brother called mama], national song)

© VCAA

2017 VCE Romanian oral examination report

General comments

Overall, students performed well in the 2017 Romanian oral examination.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

The majority of students were able to communicate their ideas and information, extend their responses and use good repair strategies in this section. Students engaged well with the assessors on topics such as family, school life, aspirations and hobbies, and demonstrated a good level of understanding and a varied vocabulary. Students who achieved high scores carried the Conversation forward with confidence and spontaneity. Some students were able to advance the Conversation most of the time, but with some hesitations and pauses.

Most students were able to present a very good range of relevant information and opinions, covering a wide range of topics related to their personal worlds. For example, when discussing their families, they talked about relationships and family activities. Some students were unable to name the subjects they studied at school in Romanian or pronounced them incorrectly (sihologie

instead of psihologie).

Some students had good repair strategies and some were able to correct themselves. Common errors included incorrect agreement between subject and predicate, such as eu place, copiii vrei or copiii este instead of mie îmi place, copiii vor and copiii sunt. Another frequent grammatical error included the inaccurate use of pronouns when used in combination with simple past (perfectul

compus) in constructions such as când am mutat (correct form când m-am mutat), am născut

(correct form m-am născut), s-a studiat (correct form a studiat) or am uitat (correct form m-am

uitat).

Section 2 – Discussion

Most students were able to introduce their subtopics and state the resources used. Topics for the Discussion included cultural and historical personalities or aspects of Romanian language and culture. Some students brought maps or pictures to support their Discussion.

The majority of students had prepared their Discussion topics in depth and were able to present detailed responses supported by examples and opinions. They used a variety of vocabulary and accurate language. However, some students presented only factual information and missed the opportunity to expand on their answers. This demonstrated a limited use of vocabulary and reliance on rote-learning, which is not recommended.

Students who achieved low scores presented information that was generally relevant, but occasionally used ambiguous constructions, which demonstrated a limited vocabulary and poor sentence structure. They also struggled to use the subjunctive correctly, being challenged in

2017 VCE Romanian oral examination report

© VCAA

particular by the ending of the subjunctive (să pleacă, să supune, să vizit, să luptă, să pictează, să

face, correct forms: să plece, să supună, să vizitez, să lupte, să picteze, să facă).

Another area in which some students needed improvement was pronunciation. This was mostly due to the influence of English sounds and stress in words, and the similar spelling of English and Romanian words. Listening and speaking activities in class can offer opportunities to practise the sounds and intonation in Romanian, as well as learning how to pronounce specific Romanian sounds such as: ce, ci, ge, gi, che, chi and ghe, ghi. Some examples of errors included the pronunciation of capturat (incorrectly pronounced as capciurd), arhitectura (incorrectly pronounced as architectura) or celtice (incorrectly pronounced as cheltice).

© VCAA

2017 VCE Russian oral examination report

Section 1 – Conversation

In general, students performed well in the 2017 VCE Russian oral examination. Most students were fluent in spoken Russian and were confident during the Conversation and the Discussion sections. They were well prepared and were capable of linking appropriately with the assessors. They expressed their ideas on family and family traditions, school, friends and friendship, interests, hobbies and career aspirations.

Students who scored highly demonstrated thorough preparation and the ability to advance the Conversation effectively. Students who scored in the mid-range at times lacked the ability to effectively elaborate on their ideas and opinions. Students who did not score well presented a limited range of information and had difficulty clarifying or elaborating on opinions and ideas.

Improvements could have been made in word building, the use of prepositions with the appropriate case, conjugations, agreements and the incorrect use of words or tenses. In Russian, words can be formed by adding two or more roots. This way of word formation/building is characteristic mainly for nouns.

For example, the students made the following mistakes:

Танцевают

для следующих четыре дня

вступить в армию

в оконцовке

она изучает язык от четырех лет

старые дети

невозможно выйти от дома

эти сквернословия медленно роют могилу литературной речe

мозг треплится

могут редактировать гены любого животного

наша земная популяция

недавно я встречаю

мешает иностранные слова в русскую речь

не проходить через все ужасные и печальные мысли.

Common mistakes included the incorrect use of noun endings and anglicisms. For example:

клининг

лоялти

аккаунтинг

буду делать бизнес в России

никакой спорт не плохой

имеет плохой эффект на здоровье

по самой натуре спорта

любят делать марафон

у меня фокус на образование

2017 VCE Russian oral examination report

© VCAA

мозг не соображает

вижу себя как юристом

более добрее.

Some students used words that were not appropriate in the given context. For example:

учусь в дистанционном обучении

извините, что я вас обрезал

в каждодневном мире

люди, которые их выросли

оттудова у них спортивная натура

спектакль основан на Лермонтове

химия – логичная наука

повлиял огромным методом

мне не нравятся индивидуальные спорты

один из самых больших тренеров

иметь склонение к медицине

Other common mistakes included inappropriate use of vocabulary. For example:

сола панели» (вместо солнечные панели)

будет около 9 биллионов людей

сегодня есть маленькое количество электринных машин

работать продажником

поплыл за ним бегом

в сфере гостеприимности.

Some mistakes included incorrect spoken Russian. For example:

нету

не забивать на школу

оттудова

бабахать

ничѐ

вон здесь график

запал на медицину

враз.

Other mistakes included incorrect pronunciation and incorrect stress. For example:

строгость важна (ударение на первый слог)

все заняты (ударение на последний слог)

упомянуты (ударение на третий слог)

две страны (ударение на первый слог).

Section 2 – Discussion

Most students presented the material skilfully and engaged in discussion with assessors successfully. They used a very good range of vocabulary, sentence structure and expressions, with both simple and complex grammatical structures. Most students were well prepared and had practised the correct pronunciation and stress.

Students’ choice of subtopics and resources is very important, and both should cater for the students’ language ability and suit their interests.

Some of the topics and subtopics chosen by students in 2017 were appropriate for the Detailed Study. The listed below topics included.

2017 VCE Russian oral examination report

© VCAA

Influential People in Russia

Is Stalin a Russian Hero or Public Enemy? Is Lenin a Public Leader or Villain? Is Ivan the Terrible a Great Politician or Tyrant? Was Alexander II a Progressive Mechanism of the Society?

Russian Traditions

Is Russian Cuisine a Healthy Cuisine? Traditional Russian Bathhouse Russian Folktales – Actual Means of Learning Are Traditional Russian Costumes still relevant in the Modern World? Are Democrats Important in Contemporary Russia? Is Patriotism a Part of Russian Culture? Is Russian Hospitality a Myth or Reality?

Art

The Contribution of Russian Sportsmen to Australian National Sport Russian Immigrants in the Australian Army Contribution of Russian Immigrants to Australian Culture – Maslenitsa Contribution of Russian Immigrants to Australian Ballet Contribution of Russian Musicians to Australian Culture

Contemporary Society

The Importance of Sleep in Everyone’s Life Is Unconventional Medicine Useful or Harmful? The Contribution of the Russian Media to Russian Community Life in Australia The Role of Contemporary Russian Medicine in the World Is Professional Sport Beneficial or Detrimental?

© VCAA

2017 VCE Serbian oral examination report

General comments In general, the standard of student performance in the 2017 Serbian oral examination was very high. It was evident that students were well prepared and able to carry on a conversation on a broad range of topics. However, some students made grammatical errors, in particular with agreements, use of prepositions, correct tenses and direct translation from English into Serbian. The use of English words such as ‘like’ and ‘shopping’, and movie and book titles was present in some instances.

Students whose language skills were at a higher level were able to self-correct quickly; however, others did not attempt to make any corrections and it appeared as if they were not aware of their mistakes.

Some students struggled to elaborate on specific words relevant to the topic they were presenting, indicating that they had rote-learned information and did not fully understand the content.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation In this section, students demonstrated the ability to communicate effectively with the assessors. They successfully sustained and advanced the Conversation on topics of personal interest and significance such as family, school, free time, hobbies, travels, future plans, and the comparison of Australian and Serbian culture. Overall, students’ capacity to communicate effectively was evident and students demonstrated an excellent level of understanding.

The majority of students maintained fluency of expression and made spontaneous comments. The Conversation flowed comfortably as students provided detailed, logical and appropriate answers to questions. Most students’ range and accuracy of vocabulary and grammar structures was excellent. Some students used idiomatic expressions and complex sentence structures. Some errors were made, in particular with the use of a formal register (pronoun ‘ti ’ instead of ‘Vi ’) when addressing assessors; however, overall awareness of style and register was evident in student responses. Some students presented a limited range of ideas and information, and also had difficulty elaborating on their responses, reflecting inadequate preparation.

Section 2 – Discussion Topics for discussion included tourist attractions and landmarks, and distinguished people in Serbian history.

Most students had prepared thoroughly and gave confident responses. Students used a wide variety of accurate language and vocabulary in order to enhance their performance. Personal interest in topics could be said to have had a positive influence on the scope and quality of research. Some students tended to focus on relating facts and information and had difficulty moving the Discussion forward.

2017 VCE Serbian oral examination report

© VCAA

An important aspect of the Discussion is for students to show how well they can use the researched information to establish and support their own opinions. They need to analyse the available resources and use them to present their opinions.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Sinhala oral examination report

General comments Most students performed well in the 2017 VCE Sinhala oral examination, and very good preparation was evident. There were a few excellent performances, demonstrated by students elaborating on information and presenting their own opinions with supporting evidence.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation Communication

Students are reminded that Section 1 is a Conversation. Some students did not attain a high mark for communication because they continued to present prepared information on a different topic before the assessors asked a question. A few students needed some support from assessors towards the end of the Conversation in order to finish explaining their ideas clearly.

Content

Many students did not elaborate on their ideas and did not demonstrate an ability to present or defend their opinions about the topic. Rote learning was also evident in many cases.

Language

In most instances, a wide range of sophisticated vocabulary was used. However, in some instances, students did not pay attention to stress and tempo. Students should be careful to use the appropriate register when referring to their parents.

Section 2 – Discussion Communication

Students selected a wide range of subtopics, but in many instances the information and ideas that they provided was very shallow. There were some instances of students ignoring the questions asked by the assessors and continuing with their presentation. Some students asked assessors about their opinions as a way to start discussing their topic. Students are reminded that it is not appropriate to ask assessors for their opinions.

A few students achieved at an excellent level in all areas.

Content

Although there was some elaboration on the subtopic chosen by students, in many instances their ideas and opinions lacked depth. Rote learning was also evident and in some instances appropriate repair strategies were not used. In the case of a few students, the assessors needed to ask many questions in order to carry on the Discussion.

2017 VCE Sinhala oral examination report

© VCAA

Language

Many students used an excellent range of vocabulary appropriately. Some students did not demonstrate an appropriate use of tempo and stress and made mistakes with sentence structure, but their pronunciation was very good.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Spanish oral examination report

General comments

The overall quality of students’ communicative skills in the 2017 VCE Spanish oral examination was very good. Students were well prepared and were able to communicate in a confident, appropriate and creative way. All students observed the correct greeting conventions when interacting with assessors, which is an important aspect of the Hispanic cultures.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

In this section students responded promptly and accurately to a variety of questions, presenting a good range of information confidently. When speaking about their personal world, students covered a range of topics: family, friends, school, pets, music, travel, sport, hobbies and future aspirations.

Students are required to maintain an appropriate exchange of ideas to maintain the Conversation with the assessors. They must listen carefully and respond appropriately. Students are permitted to ask for clarification as marks are not deducted for seeking clarification or the use of repair strategies.

Many students carried the Conversation forward and elaborated on their ideas and opinions. However, a few students had little to say and gave one-word answers, despite being prompted to elaborate on their response. This gave the impression that they had not adequately prepared for the oral examination.

Many students used accurate vocabulary and grammatical structures and there was very little English interference. Students generally demonstrated a high level of grammatical accuracy. Some grammatical errors did not affect meaning and were mostly incorrect use of prepositions and verb conjugation. It is recommended that students practise the use of verbs, tenses and especially the subjunctive mood.

Errors that required further attention included:

Soporta was incorrectly translated as ‘support’. Support in Spanish is apoyo, from the verb apoyar o sostener. Soporta is from the verb soportar, sinonimo de aguantar o tolerar.

There should be gender agreement between article, noun and adjective. La casa hermosa, el

perro hermoso. Incorrect expressions used included:

Una problema should be un problema. El música was used instead of la música. A mi me gusta should be used instead of yo gusta.

2017 VCE Spanish oral examination report

© VCAA

Use of simple past tense; for example, yo nací, el nació, ella nació should be used instead of yo nació.

When talking about activities spent with the family: use of resultado instead of resultó. Me gusta juntarme should be used instead of Me gusta juntar; for example, El examen

resultó fácil. Me gusta juntar hongos en el bosque. El resultado de la búsqueda fue muy

positivo. Me gusta juntarme con mis amigos a tomar café.

The correct use of the subjunctive; for example, no creo que sea instead of No creo que es. Ojalá que pueda instead of ojalá puedo.

Students are advised to practise speaking Spanish outside of school when possible, listen to Spanish radio programs and watch Spanish television shows, movies or internet clips.

Section 2 – Discussion

The majority of students presented a wide range of information from a number of sources. They demonstrated depth and breadth in the use of vocabulary and presented relevant facts in an interesting discussion. Overall the intonation, stress and tempo and pronunciation were appropriate.

Topics included:

The immigration of Hispanic people to the USA Art and entertainment: Frida Kahlo and her art

Students who were thoroughly prepared were able to respond readily, advance the exchange of ideas and carry the Discussion forward. They elaborated on their points of view by using evidence gained from their resources. Some students presented information about their topic but lacked the ability to explore it in depth. Students should be reminded that the Discussion involves reference to the texts studied for the Detailed Study.

Some students were very accurate in their use of vocabulary and grammatical structures. However, some students need to pay more attention to sentence structures and verb conjugation.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Swedish oral examination report

General comments

Students were very competent in their language usage and had acquired very good pronunciation skills.

Some students occasionally used an anglicism or an incorrect preposition, but no typical errors in common were detected.

Students may find speaking in Swedish with classmates to be very beneficial to their language skills.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

Students were very well prepared for the 2017 Swedish oral examination. They all performed at a high standard and there was no need for the assessors to prompt them. It was clear that the students were enjoying communicating in Swedish.

Section 2 – Discussion

Some students had studied various aspects of the life and culture of the Sami people, who are indigenous to northern Sweden, and their responses demonstrated a thorough preparation for the examination. Many students scored highly and several students were able to elaborate on their topic at a high level of complexity. A few students needed some support from the assessors to progress, whereas others were capable of presenting information, ideas and opinions about their topic without encouragement and seemed to thrive on questions from the assessors that opened up new areas for discussion. This topic seemed to work very well as it invited the opportunity for the students to study a variety of texts suitable to their individual interests and skills and allowed them to draw their own conclusions and give their own opinions.

The resources cited by students varied from articles published online to documentaries, books, maps, radio programs, television programs and feature films, and it was clear that they had used these resources in a very constructive way.

Some students would benefit from some additional grammar study to lift their language skills further.

Overall, however, students performed at a very high standard.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Tamil oral examination report

General comments

Most students responded readily and fluently to the questions asked. They were able to link with the assessors effectively and demonstrated good communication skills and repair strategies.

Some students repeatedly gave one- or two-word answers in both sections of the examination. Students are reminded that the examination is an exchange and that they should elaborate and expand on their responses in order to demonstrate their skill in using the language.

It was evident that some students had memorised many proverbs and idioms and used them in irrelevant contexts.

Many students demonstrated a good command of pronunciation, intonation, stress and tempo. They were easily able to correct themselves once they became aware that they had used English words (for example, ‘teacher’, ‘school’) and immediately corrected themselves, using the correct Tamil words (kd;dpf;fTk; Mrpupau;> ghlrhiy). However, some students did not appear to be aware of their persistent use of English words, such as ‘sorry’, ‘okay’, ‘like’ and ‘so’ in the Conversation.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

Some students who were very fluent speakers seemed to be underprepared for this section. These students gave one- or two-word answers and waited for other questions, even when assessors gave them time to elaborate. A lack of research or preparation was reflected in their responses. They repeated the same information or the same long phrases many times. Some students gave irrelevant information to questions, which they had obviously prepared as responses to entirely different questions.

When questions were asked about sports, future employment or their aspirations, some students said, ‘I do not have any interest in anything else other than my family and my studies’. Students are reminded that the Conversation section of the examination is about their personal world and that they are expected to be able to talk about a range of topics, including their future plans and aspirations.

Section 2 – Discussion

Most students were thoroughly prepared and produced confident responses during the Discussion, drawing on related ideas that moved the Discussion forward. They were able to respond capably to questions from assessors.

Other students had memorised their subtopics for the Discussion as a speech. This was evident when they started with ‘tzf;fk;’. When assessors asked questions, some students said, ‘I will talk about this in the other part of my presentation soon’. Some students recited long lists of items in Sanskrit and then gave the translation in Tamil without understanding what they had said. When questioned about the information they had given, they simply answered, ‘I didn’t research that’. When they continued their speech after answering questions, they started with the phrase ‘as I said earlier’ without having provided the information in the first place. While students are

2017 VCE Tamil oral examination report

© VCAA

encouraged to move the Discussion forward, they should be reminded that the examination is an exchange, not a speech. Students should be prepared to answer questions, to elaborate on their ideas and to provide opinions when asked.

Students who selected famous people as their subtopic spent time recounting facts about the person such as birthdate, places of birth and death and places the person had studied. This meant that these students had less time to demonstrate their capacity to communicate in an engaging way by providing their opinions about the people they studied.

Students are reminded that they are expected to be able to justify their ideas and opinions when assessors ask them follow-up questions about the topic studied.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Vietnamese Second Language oral examination report

General comments

In 2017, students completed the oral examination well and demonstrated an excellent level of preparation and practice. They showed a very good understanding of the oral examination requirements as prescribed in the study design.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

The majority of students were well prepared and performed to a high standard in this section of the examination. Most students listened carefully, were articulate, expressed opinions well and advanced the Conversation, but some students needed more support and prompting from assessors.

Most students had an excellent range of vocabulary, used a variety of sentence structures and were able to express their opinions effectively. All students engaged with the assessors confidently and responses were highly relevant and sophisticated. However, some students showed a lack of fluency in and understanding of the language, which led to their expressions being ambiguous and grammatically incorrect. Students who did not score well were still able to produce relevant information that was sufficient to maintain the Conversation.

Students should avoid reciting a prepared dialogue as the Conversation is an unrehearsed interaction between the student and the assessors. Instead, students should try to demonstrate how much Vietnamese they can use competently and how they can maintain and advance a conversation.

Section 2 – Discussion

Most students were able to appropriately introduce their subtopics and refer to the resources they had used, including textbooks, newspaper articles, documentaries, films, songs and DVDs. These resources enabled the students to discuss a variety of complex issues connected to the topic they had chosen for their Detailed Study.

Some students who scored highly demonstrated that they had thoroughly prepared their topic, so they were not only able to reply to questions but also expand on their responses and advance the Discussion. These students used a broad range of sophisticated vocabulary and grammar, and they displayed very good control of language. Students who did not score highly needed support when faced with questions they had not anticipated, as they had a more limited vocabulary and had difficulty participating in the Discussion.

In general, students were well prepared and demonstrated a good level of language skills, including intonation, tempo and pronunciation. Students are advised to invest more time in

2017 VCE Vietnamese Second Language oral examination report

© VCAA

preparing for the oral examination. Students must select appropriate resources and practise frequently so as to enable them to present ideas and opinions effectively, interact with the assessors at a high level and use repair strategies if necessary.

© VCAA

2017 VCE Yiddish oral examination report

General comments

Students performed very well in the 2017 Yiddish oral examination. It was evident that students had prepared well and generally understood the requirements and expectations of the examination. Overall, there was an excellent level of comprehension, with students able to respond to a range of questions and topics. Students communicated effectively, maintaining and advancing the Conversation appropriately in Yiddish. In general, students were able to elaborate on their comments and respond well to unexpected questions. Students generally expressed themselves clearly, utilising appropriate style and register and demonstrating very good pronunciation with correct intonation and stress.

Specific information Section 1 – Conversation

In the Conversation section of the examination students interacted very effectively with the assessors, providing relevant responses to a broad range of questions. Students demonstrated the ability to carry the Conversation forward clearly and with self-assurance. Students who scored highly spoke confidently, with minimal hesitations. They utilised appropriate Yiddish word order and syntax, and their conversation included appropriate idiomatic expressions. These students drew on a broad vocabulary, enabling them to express themselves coherently and with depth in Yiddish. Most of the time, they utilised appropriate grammatical forms, such as agreement between noun and adjective, correct auxiliary verbs in the past tense )זַײן ָאדער הָאבן( and correct use of the dative.

Students who did not score well utilised a more limited vocabulary, at times relying on rote-learned language and anglicisms. Some students used incorrect word order, particularly with respect to the position of the verb in the sentence. Other frequent errors included using the incorrect auxiliary verb in the past tense, conjugating verbs incorrectly and inconsistent gender of articles and adjectives.

Section 2 – Discussion

The majority of students performed very well in the Discussion section of the examination, with many students selecting interesting texts and presenting thoughtful and meaningful responses to the texts that they had studied. Overall, it was apparent that students had studied their texts carefully, with a very high level of comprehension evident. Some students showed initiative in seeking out interesting and unique texts to examine for their Detailed Study. Such students engaged deeply with their texts and tended to perform very well in the examination. Students who scored well demonstrated the capacity to draw out the messages of the texts they had studied and discuss these messages in depth. These students were able to analyse and synthesise the information they presented. They articulated their ideas well, demonstrating the ability to clarify and defend their responses fluently in Yiddish.

2017 VCE Yiddish oral examination report

© VCAA

In contrast, some students merely presented a summary of the materials they had studied, rather than engaging in an analysis and discussion of the texts. In such cases, students showed limited capacity to present their opinions and ideas. In the Discussion, students should be able to link the texts to their topic and subtopic. Students need to be prepared to speak in depth about the topic in relation to the texts. This is an area requiring greater emphasis in preparing for the examination.

Overall, students performed very well, demonstrating a very impressive standard of spoken Yiddish.